Why You Probably Won't See Steve Harvey Doing Standup Again

Steve Harvey is one celebrity who knows how to find his audience. The funnyman has led a very successful career in radio and TV career, most notably for hosting "The Steve Harvey Morning Show" and "Family Feud." Real fans also know Harvey as a comic, though he has officially retired from the stage.

Although he's known as a TV personality now, Harvey got his start in the entertainment business by doing standup comedy, and he's widely considered to be a pro at it. His comedic timing, profanity-laced routines, and occasional roasting of audience members was a winning formula that earned him the title of one of the Original Kings of Comedy. But the comedian has made it clear that his standup comedy days are far behind him. 

While stand-up comedy is what got him where he is today, the host is not keen on making a return to his original craft anytime soon. Harvey has claimed the world's become a much more sensitive place, and the threat of being "canceled" has soured him towards his once beloved career.

The last time Steve Harvey performed a comedy show was in 2012. "The Grand Finale" was Harvey's farewell to his nearly three-decades-long career in standup. The live show was filmed as a pay-per-view event. There were several moments during the show where the comedian was visibly emotional about "The Grand Finale" being his last standup routine. His decision to leave standup behind was obviously a tough choice to make, but he felt it was a necessary move. According to Harvey, a new, more culturally sensitive society has made his previous career a dangerous game for those who are still committed to it.

During an interview with Deadline, Harvey admitted that he was afraid he would lose his TV career if he tried to make a return to standup comedy. "Political correctness has killed comedy," the "Family Feud" star declared. He went on to say that needing to dial back his jokes as well as worry about hurting others' feelings has made standup comedy nearly impossible. "But what people don't understand about comedians is that a joke has to be about something and somebody," he implored. "We can't write jokes about puppies all the time."

Even though Harvey has quit standup comedy, he doesn't believe that the art is dead. He's convinced that there is a way for him and other comics like him to jump back into their craft without the fear of being canceled.

In his interview with Deadline, Steve Harvey named Dave Chappelle as an example of a comedian who has yet to be canceled for his edgy jokes. Chappelle has been involved in comedy since the late 90s and he doesn't show any signs of slowing down. However, Chappelle has faced widespread backlash and the threat of being canceled. 

Chappelle's Netflix standup special, "The Closer," caused a massive walkout by Netflix employees, who felt the comedian's jokes about the transgender community were in poor taste. Still, Chappelle has continued to find success despite his controversial comedy. Netflix announced a new Chappelle special, which is slated to premiere on the platform in December 2023. Chappelle is seemingly "uncancelable," and fellow comedian Harvey has an idea why.

The "Judge Steve Harvey" star told Deadline that many famous comedians — like D.L. Hughley, Chris Rock, and Kevin Hart — can't go back to doing standup because they have sponsors behind them. An insensitive joke could lead to a comedian quickly facing cancellation. This, in turn, might result in sponsors dropping them, and the comedian could lose their livelihood. This couldn't happen to Chappelle, Harvey pointed out. "The only person that can say what they want to say on stage is Dave Chappelle because he's not sponsor-driven, he's subscription-driven," Harvey explained. Could he be hinting at a possible loophole for a return to comedy? Time will tell.